"Pleased to meet you, Vivien," Thane said with a polite smile that felt just a touch too polished. "Are you new in the Undercity? When I visited the Central District a couple of months ago, I didn’t see you there."
I realized then that the news about Rion taking in another Alpha’s breeder hadn’t spread this far. The Sixth District wasn’t as tightly wound in gossip as Central, apparently.
"Yes, I just came here... around a month ago," I answered, keeping my tone light.
Thane nodded slowly, as if filing the information away.
"If I should visit Central District again, perhaps we can spend some time together. I admit, I’m curious about this new person under our Alpha’s wing. I can also show you around some places in the other districts, if you are interested."
I blinked, caught off guard by his forwardness. Before I could even decide how to answer, a prickling sensation brushed the back of my neck.
The narrowing of Rion’s eyes didn’t escape me, though Thane seemed completely oblivious.
I parted my lips, ready to say something, but Rion’s voice cut through first.
"You are so thoughtful, Thane," he said smoothly, his smile sharp enough to make my stomach flip. His canines caught the light, glinting faintly as his eyes darkened with a shadowed glint that was anything but warm. "Vivien would love that."
There was something in the way he said the words that made it sound wrong. Too pleasant on the surface, but layered with something else. Was he not fond of this man? Maybe it had something to do with work. Or maybe I was just overthinking it. Thane looked someone diligent and kind.
"For now," Rion continued, his smile not faltering even an inch, "we won’t be needing any assistance from you."
Thane chuckled lightly, scratching the back of his neck. "Alright. I won’t keep you then. Please, let me know if you need anything while you’re here in the Sixth District."
Rion didn’t respond. He simply turned, his shadows shifting with the motion, and began walking away as if the conversation had already ended.
I lingered a moment longer, forcing a small smile at Thane. "Thank you for your kind offer, Delta Thane. Have a good day, and I hope to see you sometime in the future."
His expression softened at that, his eyes lingering on me with something that looked suspiciously like admiration. "Likewise, Vivien."
With a polite nod, I turned away and hurried to catch up to Rion.
In my eyes, Thane really was a pleasant and friendly man. I had no reason to dislike him—if anything, his warmth felt genuine. I wasn’t planning to shy away from good company. I’d already made a few friends in the Undercity, and I realized how much lighter my days felt because of them. Welcoming more people into my life... it made me feel more alive. Less like a pawn on someone else’s chessboard.
When I caught up to Rion, his voice slid into my ears.
"You find Thane so pleasant you wished for you to meet again?"
I turned my head slightly, but his face was hard to read from this angle. We were walking side by side, his gaze fixed ahead. I couldn’t tell if he was mocking me, testing me, or implying something else entirely.
With Rion, it was always hard to tell. Still, I decided to stay positive.
"He seems kind," I said simply, choosing honesty. "And since he offered, I thought it would only be right to say that. I think he’d make a good friend."
His response was immediate, clipped. "I brought you here to work, not to make friends."
My brows twitched. "I am working. Can’t I make friends while doing that?"
I stole a quick glance at him, trying to gauge his expression. But his face was carved into stone, his stride unbroken, his silence stretching between us like a wall.
He didn’t answer. Just kept walking, leading us deeper into the farther side of the district.
I sighed under my breath and focused on keeping pace. But then—
I stopped abruptly, my heart lurching in my chest.
There it was. A sound so faint, so familiar, it made my skin prickle.
The harp’s music.
It wasn’t clear, not sharp like an actual performance, but more like a ghost of sound carried on the edges of the air. A haunting melody curling into my ears, threading into my mind.
This was it. The Angel’s harp was calling for me! That’s the harp’s name in the book of keys. It was said to be a relic with a music that could slip past mental defenses, weaving directly into the soul. The melody didn’t just sound beautiful—it commanded. It was said to capture a person’s heart and mind so completely that they’d follow the sound without hesitation, without reason, like moths drawn into a flame.
When Rion noticed my sudden halt, he turned instantly, shadows stirring faintly around his shoulders.
"What is it?"
"I can hear it," I whispered, pressing a hand lightly to my chest. My pulse was quickening, like my body already recognized the tune before my mind could. "It’s faint, but... I can definitely hear the harp’s music."
His gaze sharpened, locking onto me. "Can you point which direction it’s coming from?"
I closed my eyes, letting the melody wash over me, trying to follow it.
But the more I listened, the more it seemed to come from everywhere.
Not from one corner of the street or a window above, but echoing in my mind as if the whole district carried its tune. It was confusing.
My brows furrowed as frustration tugged at me. I shook my head, dismayed.
"No. It’s everywhere. I can’t pinpoint it."
Without another word, I started moving again, scanning the streets, ears straining for any shift in the music. My feet carried me into an empty alley, its stone walls damp and shadowed.
I heard Rion’s steady footsteps behind me.
"Can’t you feel anything yet?" I asked, my voice quieter this time, threaded with hope. "Like... the Celestial Wolf’s energy on the harp?"
"Nothing on my end," he replied, flat and certain.
Disappointment curled in my stomach, but I kept moving. I could feel that it was just close. Just within our touch. Step by step, I followed the echo, hoping for something more tangible.
And then—
A shout ripped through the air.
It came from somewhere close, sharp and panicked, bouncing off the stone walls of the Sixth District.
I froze, my breath catching, eyes flying toward the source of the sound.